The Love I Am Thankful For
by sarrangxox
Summary: Darien's spending his first holiday with Serena...or with anyone for that matter. So when the night comes to an end, and Darien begins to think he's not worth it all, what will Serena do to make him think otherwise?


Author's Note:

Hello lovely readers! I know, I bet all of you are thinking 'OH MY GOD SHE'S STILL ALIVE?!', and my answer is "Yes, I am very much alive". So the next thing you think is, 'WHY AREN'T YOU UPDATING BETWEEN US?!', and my answer is "I apologize, and no, I haven't given up on the story. I've just been very busy with my own personal life, and I promise to update it very soon".

But I was thinking, it's the day to give a little extra thanks to the people around you. So even though this probably isn't what you wanted to read from me, here's my first shot at a one-shot, and hopefully I'll get a slam dunk. Yes, I know I'm cheesy.

Enjoy~!

* * *

**10:30 PM**

"I don't deserve any of this, Sere," he whispered. "I didn't deserve it when I was a kid, and I still don't."

She grabbed the sides of his face tightly, forcing him to look into her pain-filled eyes. Luscious tears were falling down her cheeks as she tried to plead him to think differently.

"Darien, why can't you see that you deserve so much more? There are too many other things that we have to experience together. This is only the beginning, don't you understand? Dare, this would all mean nothing without you here with me," she cried.

He stared into her beautiful eyes, contemplating on how he should say his next words…

* * *

**11:30 AM**

"Darien, make sure you come at six o'clock sharp, okay? I know it's early, but I want you to have a chance to meet the whole family and make decent conversation before we sit down to eat. We don't want another awkward experience, do we?" Serena asked, referring to their first dinner with her parents.

Darien chuckled at the memory. He remembered how he could barely swallow the delicious pot roast that Serena's mother had made due to the murderous glares he was receiving from both her husband and son. They had kept staring at Darien as if he would rob them of their precious Serena at any second, so any conversation was strained. Serena had abruptly stood up, throwing a bread roll at her younger brother and yelling at the two men to stop trying to kill him with their eyes. Both men sheepishly scratched the back of their heads, apologizing for the rude way they were acting, and although awkward, the cozy sound of conversation floated through the air. He had spent many other dinners after that first night, and he felt more and more at ease each time. After being with Serena for over a few years, the family decided to have Darien over for the first Thanksgiving that he would be spending with Serena.

"Don't worry so much, Sere. I promise I'll be there on time, okay? Now go help your family get ready."

He heard her sigh in relief as pots and pans began to move around in the background.

"I _am_ helping my family! And remember, you don't need to bring anything. Just yourself."

"Got it, I'll see you later" he said.

"I love you, Darien" she whispered, shy around the obnoxious ears of her family.

"Love you too, Serena" he said with a smile.

Darien began to clean up around his own apartment before hopping into the shower. Once dried off, he pulled out a clean pair of dark blue jeans and black turtleneck. After getting dressed and checking his appearance in the mirror, he walked into the kitchen to retrieve the pies he had bought last night. They were from his favorite bakery, and he hoped that Serena's family would enjoy them as much as he did.

He also picked up the three flower bouquets he had specially ordered for today, and walked out of his apartment with full arms. After placing all of the items safely in the car, he buckled his seatbelt and began the long drive to his destination.

* * *

**12:00 PM**

"Grandma, please go sit down at the table. You can still boss us from there! The doctor said that you needed a little bit more rest before you get over the nasty cold you have" Serena said.

"Oh hush child, your Grandma is still very useful in the kitchen!" she reprimanded.

"I _know_ you're helpful Nana, that's why I'm telling you to boss us all around from over _there_." Serena said, pointing to the kitchen table.

"Serena's right Grandma," said one of her cousins, "just go sit down, we'll listen to everything you tell us to do."

Although still grumbling a bit, her Grandmother sat down in a cushioned chair and began barking out orders on what to do with the defrosted turkey and stuffing.

Serena's entire family was bustling around the spacious kitchen, the men helping out with small tasks such as retrieving utensils or washing dishes while the women were getting into the cooking itself. There was still so much to be done!

Serena's mind began to wander off while she was mashing some potatoes, thinking of what Darien was doing at the moment to prepare for Thanksgiving. Was he just sitting at home, waiting for four o' clock to come around? She knew his parents had passed away when he was a child, and that he had no known relatives to take care of him. She let out a sorrow-filled sigh to think of the holidays that Darien had never spent with people who loved him.

But it would be different this year. It would be different every year from now on.

With that thought in mind, she began to happily mash the potatoes again, wondering how soon she could be done preparing and start eating.

* * *

**12:15 PM**

Darien shut his car door after retrieving a bouquet of white lilies, and began to make his way up the steep hill. His legs were a little sore from driving two hours, but he had realized this was something he had to do. After being with Serena, he realized there was a lot of stuff that he should have done with his life. So this was step one.

He finally reached his destination, and stared down at the slab of stone. This was where his parents were. This stone had marked their identity, and it had taken Darien over ten years to finally come to them.

_April 17__th__, 1962-December 21__st__, 1997 July 6__th__, 1965-December 21__st__, 1997_

_Here Lies Endymion Shields and Terra Sinclair,_

_Beloved Son and Daughter_

_Devoted Husband and Wife_

_Loving Father and Mother_

_May Their Precious Souls Rest In Peace_

Darien dropped down to his knees, the years of oppressed sorrow pouring out in heart-wrenching waves. Tears that he thought he had been done shedding as a child began to pour down his cheeks. His shaking hands set the bouquet of roses down on top of the grave, and he sat there for a decent amount of time trying to compose himself.

"I'm sorry Mom, Dad," he whispered, the words sounding so foreign, "I know I'm not the best son, but you have to understand how hard this is for me. I never thought I would come to your graves, I never thought I could handle it. But I wanted to tell you, I have this amazing person in my life now. Her name's Serena, and she seems almost like a blessing that you sent down to me. She fills in the loneliness I feel, and shines through the darkest spots of my life. I don't know what I would do without her," his voice started to waver slightly as he reached a hand out to touch the cold, smooth stone.

"I love her. With everything I have. And I hope that you guys are watching over us right now, pushing us in the direction that I hope we end up. I-I miss you guys, even if I don't remember you too well. And…and I love you two. Happy Thanksgiving," he whispered.

He felt the emptiness in his heart float away into oblivion as he stood up. Even if his parents weren't here with him right now, they were always there in spirit. And now, he could come visit them whenever he wanted.

Darien made his way down the hill, and got into his car. He noticed it was still only twelve thirty, but decided to make his way over to Serena's early to help out. He wondered how his first holiday with the woman he loved would go.

* * *

**3:00 PM**

"Serena! Your _boyfriend's_ here!" her younger brother yelled in a teasing tone.

"Darien?" Serena whispered to herself, "He's not supposed to be here till another few hours!"

She ran over to the foyer and saw Darien awkwardly standing there with a few boxes tucked under one arm. Serena hurriedly picked up the boxes and handed them to the nearest family, who happened to be her teenage cousin, and asked them to take them into the kitchen. When she turned around to ask Darien what he was doing here so early, she was met with a bouquet of fresh red roses.

"Aw, Dare, you shouldn't have," Serena said in awe. She gingerly received the present before giving him a quick peck on the lips and dragging him into the kitchen. She searched for a vase to put them in and smiled when she saw he had brought a bouquet just for her mother too. They were white and pink freesias.

"I would have brought some more flowers if I knew how lovely the rest of the women in your family were, Sere," he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Oh stop," said her Aunt Eunice, "we're all just glad that you could come to help. The men helped for the first hour or so, but then decided to run off and watch football."

"It's the least I could do," Darien said, charming his way into the hearts of Serena's family.

Serena giggled before tugging on Darien's hand to come help her unpack the pies he had brought. They looked absolutely delicious, and Serena was getting so excited at the thought of having Thanksgiving dinner with Darien.

"I told you not to bring anything," Serena whispered to him, while keeping an eye on her baby cousins.

"I had to bring something. I wasn't just going to eat and leave, it's Thanksgiving," he whispered back, giving her a peck on the cheek.

Serena blushed a light pink at the little sounds of encouragement and jealousy that her family was emitting.

"Gosh Sere! Where'd you land a hottie like that?" asked one of her younger Aunts.

"Oh," Serena laughed uncomfortably, "we've known each other for years through mutual friends."

"You could say it's destiny the way we met," Darien cut in, earning more sounds from her female side of the family.

And there launched the beginning of their beautiful relationship, from flying test papers and shoes, to hugs and kisses. During the story telling, most of the table was set up with the array of Thanksgiving cuisine, and family members began to pile into the dining room table. Although it had taken another few hours to get everything done, it was worth it. Children sat on parents' laps as they were fed, and stories were shared throughout the table.

Dinner lasted for over an hour, while dessert was even longer. While the adults stayed at the table and continued to talk about life, the teenagers and children ran off to watch television or play on the computers throughout the house. Serena and Darien opted to stay at the table for a bit, before leaving the adults to reminisce about 'the good old days'. Together they watched over the kids and played with them when asked. It felt nice to just be with each other on such a family-oriented day.

It was just as it should be.

* * *

**10:00 PM**

As the clock hit ten and children as well as adults began to tire from the day's festivities, families began to pile into their cars and say goodbye to each other with promises of keeping in touch. Serena held tightly onto Darien's hand, not wanting to send him home alone. She looked over at her mom, asking permission to stay with Darien for tonight, and to her surprised her mom shook her head yes. Serena ran over to her mom, giving her a grateful hug and asked why she had given her consent.

"It's Thanksgiving honey," she whispered, "everyone needs somebody there."

"Thanks mom," Serena said, her eyes starting to tear up, "I knew you'd understand."

Her mother smiled before giving her a slight push towards Darien. Serena tugged on Darien's sleeve, and once she got his attention, she whispered that she would be right back with some of her things. Without answering to his confused look, she rushed upstairs to grab her necessities before running back down to him.

"Let's go home," Serena said with a smile.

Darien's shocked look gave Serena a slight pang in the heart. The man that she loved had gone through all of these many years all by himself, and yet he gave her the world. What would she ever do without him?

"Serena, I don't think that your parents would approve of this," he whispered.

"It's fine, Dare. Please, for once, don't try and argue your way out of something you're scared of."

He paused, about to argue that he wasn't scared of anything, when he realized he was. Darien was absolutely terrified at the idea of spending the rest of Thanksgiving with Serena. What if she realized how alone he really was? What if she saw how dark and empty his life was without her? Would she leave him, never to look back? Or would she ridicule him, like all of the kids at the orphanage had?

Before his thoughts continued to get carried away, she grabbed his hand in a tight grip before leading him over to his car. She gently pushed him towards to driver's seat and ran over to the passenger's side to get settled in. Serena had already buckled her seatbelt with her bag of necessities resting on her lap, patiently waiting for Darien to get ready to take them home.

The ride was silent, each in their own thoughts. The only thing that kept them in each other's presence was the fact that they were holding each others hands as if it were their lifeline. They arrived at his apartment, and began the silent trek up into the elevator and into his cozy home. Serena made a beeline into his bedroom's bathroom and silently shut the door to get ready for bed. Darien was still in a daze while he got himself ready for bed in the hallway bathroom, pondering on what would happen tonight.

He was already lying in bed when Serena entered. She was wearing one of his old high school shirts, much too big on her petite frame, and appeared to not be wearing anything but her underwear underneath.

She shyly made her way over to him, and he sat up with welcoming arms. She lied against his naked chest for a while before tilting her head up to give him a chaste kiss. Without warning, the kisses become needy, passionate, and fervent. Darien had already laid Serena down on her back and slowly began to rub random spots along her body, relishing in the tiny moans she produced.

"I love you, Darien," she whispered in between kisses.

He abruptly stopped kissing her, and pushed himself off of the bed.

"I can't do this," he whispered.

Serena looked up into his darkened face, whether from lust or pain she wasn't sure of. Her eyes began to sting with tears of rejection as she hung her head in shame.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to," she said.

Darien rushed over to the side of the bed, kneeling down in front of her.

"No, Serena. You don't get it. I don't deserve any of this," he whispered. "I didn't deserve it when I was a kid, and I still don't."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, thoroughly confused.

"Love," he said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "I don't deserve any of the love that I've experienced today."

She grabbed the sides of his face tightly, forcing him to look into her pain-filled eyes. Luscious tears were falling down her cheeks as she tried to plead him to think differently.

"Darien, why can't you see that you deserve so much more? There are too many other things that we have to experience together, too many things that's just going to make our love grow. This is only the beginning, don't you understand? Dare, this would all mean nothing without you here with me," she cried.

He stared into her beautiful eyes, contemplating on how he should say his next words.

"I know I don't deserve any of this," he lifted a finger to cut off whatever Serena had to say, asking her to let him continue. After a small nod from her head, he resumed his speech.

"but, I want it so bad. Serena Johnson, you mean the world to me, do you know that? No, you _are_ my world. You're everything that makes me happy, sad, angry, jealous, worried, and anything else that could possibly be felt. You made me human again, do you understand that? Gosh, I sound like a bumbling idiot," Darien said, trying to gain composure.

"I love you, more than anything I have ever known. And yes, that includes my car," he said, earning a small giggle from her,

"What I was trying to say before was, I can't do this without telling you all of this and more. Serena Serenity Johnson, will you give me the honor of becoming my wife?" he asked, presenting her with a velvet box that he had pulled of the nightstand during his speech. He held it up to her as he opened it, letting the rather large diamond leave glinting patterns all along the walls. He heard her gasp, and felt more tears drop down onto his hands.

His thought process was simple.

_Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes._

"No."

Darien's heart stopped as his arms fell to the ground. No? What had he done wrong?

He watched as she kneeled down before him, reaching for the ring that he had carelessly dropped to the ground. She placed it in his hand, before staring into his eyes.

"Not until you understand that _you_ are everything to _me_. Not until you understand that _I_ don't deserve any of the love that _you_ give _me_. Not until you understand that you deserve _all _of this, and _so_ much more. Not until you realize," she said, raising his hand with the ring in it up to her face.

"That I love you more," with a coy smile on her face.

Darien's heart started pumping at a faster rate as he realized what an evil scare that his precious girlfriend had pulled on him. He reached his hand around the back of her neck, pulling her in for a soul-searing kiss.

"So I take it that you've come to an understanding?" she said breathily.

"So I take it that you've accepted my proposal?" he retorted.

The couple laughed, and Serena watched with a girly smile as Darien slid the ring on her finger.

"You scared me so much," Darien said, nuzzling her nose with his own.

"Yea, well you scared me when you started talking about not deserving love," Serena fought back, still smiling at the fact that she was getting married to the love of her life.

"Thank you," Darien said, "thank you for giving me everything."

"Thank _you_," Serena whispered, "for being the best man I could ever have in my life."

So the two began to fall into each other's embrace, expressing their love for one another with kisses and touches. And when morning arrived, the sun shined down on the lovers in a tight embrace, never letting go of each other for a second.

Indeed, this was the just the beginning…

* * *

THE END!

I know it's a few hours late, but HAPPY THANKSGIVING! And like I said, this is my present to you, so be thankful! Maybe I'll write a little something more for this if you guys give me a lot of reviews ;)

I will try my best best BEST to update 'Between Us' before Monday, but no guarantees!

I hope you all had a great holiday and enjoyed the presence of family and friends. And remember to thank your parents for everything they've done for you. Like giving you life.

xoxo,

sarrang


End file.
